The Orthodox Evangelist, To the reader
To the Judicious Chriſtian Reader.
THe Penning and Reading of godly Books, is a ſingular improvement of the Communion of Saints: as whereby we enjoy ſweet and gracious conference with the Saints, though unknown to us, though abſent in place, & diſtant in time (yea many ages before us) and ſo partake in the Communion of their moſt precious Gifts, as if they were preſent with us, or as if we had been of long acquainted with them, which maketh me ſometimes to wiſh, that though I cannot nor dare not ſay, that Spiritual Gifts are buried, when they are only diſpenced in a Pulpit (for in a Pulpit they are ſet upon a Candleſtick, and give light to all that are in the Houſe of this or that particular Church:) yet where God giveth an eminent meaſure of light, fit to ſhine forth to a Nation, or to a world of Churches: That ſuch Gifts might not be confined to a Pulpit; but as cluſters of ripe Grapes paſsing under the preſs, are fit to be tranſported to all Nations; So ſuch Gifts and Labors paſsing under the Preſs, may be fitly Communicated to all Churches. It is indeed a true word which the word of truth hath ſpoken (Eccleſ. 12.12.) Of making many books there is no end, and much reading is a wearineſs to the fleſh. But yet, ſome books there be, of which I may ſay, as Fernelius, and other Phyſicians ſpeak of their Pills; There are Pillulae ſine quibus, that is, ſine quibus eſſe nolo; ſo there be ſome libelli ſine quibus, ſome books ſine quibus eſſe nolo. And this is one of them, without which I would neither be my ſelf, nor wiſh thee to be. Though moſt books be accommodated to Popular capacity (and they do moſt good extenſively:) yet there had need to be ſome, which ſpeak accurately, that they who apply their Sermons and writings to Popular capacity, may ſtill keep within the compaſs of exact Truth: and they do moſt good intenſively. The Holy …hoſt by Paul giveth the People of God an holy warning, See that ye walk circumſpectly; or (as the word is) exactly, Epheſ. 5.15. Now if the Rule of a Chriſtian life be, walk exactly, Surely the Rule of a Scribe taught to the Kingdom of God, and gifted for it, is, write exactly.
There be ſome of good judgment, who interpret the four Creatures (in Revel. 4.7.) to hold forth the four ſorts of Officers in the Church: The Lyon (for his Courage and Power) the Ruling Elder: The Ox (for his patience and labor in treading out the Corn) the Paſtor: The Man (for his Prudence in ordering the humane outward affairs of the Church) the Deacon: The Eagle (for his ſoaring aloft, and quick in ſight into remote, and hidden things) the Teacher. How well therefore doth it become this our Reverend Brother, the Teacher of an intelligent people (the Church at Ipſwich) to lanch forth into the deep, (as Chriſt biddeth his Diſciples, Luk. 5.4.) To ſpie out and diſcover the ſecret and abſtruſe myſteries of the Kingdom of God?
Moreover that which adorneth the exactneſs of the matter of this diſcourſe, is, Pithy Brevity, compacting as many things as words together; that as it was the conſtant deſire and affectation, and expreſsion of Dr Preſton, to live long in a little time; So it appeareth to be the ſerious care and endeavour of this our beloved Brother, to ſpeak much in few words. The Schoolmen (though they be none of the ſoundeſt Divines) yet of late years, have crept (for a time) into more credit amongſt Schools, then the moſt judicious and Orthodox of our beſt new writers (Luther, Calvin, Martyr, Bucer, and the rest:) and their books were much more vendible, and at a far greater price: But what or wherein lay their preheminence? Not in the light of Divine Grace (whereof moſt of them were wholly deſtitute) nor in their skill in Tongues and Polite Literatur, (wherein they were Barbarians:) nor in their deeper inſight into the holy Scriptures (in which they were far leſs converſant, then in Peter Lumbard, and Ariſtotle:) but in their rational diſputes, with diſtinct Solidity and Succinct brevity. But in the mean time they corrupted the whole body of Divinity, with many curious and unprofitable queſtions, with many Philoſophical (falſly ſo called) and vain Notions, and with many ſubtil devices, to uphold the Church of Rome, in their then prevailing Antichriſtian Apoſtacy. What was unſound and corrupt in the Schoolmen, our Brother (by the guidance of Chriſt) hath faithfully and Religiouſly avoyded: what was commendable and deſireable, he hath (through grace) not ſo much imitated as exceeded: Opening the principal heads of Divinity, with more then rational evidence, even with Scripture light: and all with ſuch diſtinct Solidity, as may both clear the underſtanding, and ſatisfie the Judgment, yea and by grace eſtabliſh the faith of the diligent Reader: and that with ſuch Succinct Brevity, as avoydeth at once both Perplexity, and obſcurity together. Amongſt other diſputes which have much exerciſed the Schoolmen of old, and ſtill do buſie the Dominicans and Jeſuites, concerning the concurſe of Grace, and Free-will therein, the Lord hath led this our Brother with a ſtrong hand to ſearch out, and declare, the abſtruſe myſteries thereof, with ſuch holy Dexterity, as that if the diſſenting parties were as willing to hearken to the Oracles of God ſpeaking in the Scriptures, and opened in this book, as the Romaniſts have often appealed to the Pope (and all in vain) for the compounding of this Controverſie, The Doctrines of Grace would be much more clearly delivered and generally accepted, with more peace and truth, not only amongſt them, but amongſt Proteſtants alſo; yea and even ſuch Proteſtants as excell in holineſs and knowledg, and yet ſeem (and but ſeem) to vary (though Logically, yet not Theologically) in ſome doctrines of Grace, may (through grace) either judg and ſpeak all one thing, or at leaſt condeſcend: placide ferre contraſentientes, mildely to bear with difference of judgment in ſuch a caſe.
And as for ſuch Proteſtants as follow Bellarmine and Fevardentius in extenuating the bitterneſs of the Soul-ſufferings of Chriſt from any ſenſe of ſpiritual Deſertions (as if ſuch pangs were incompatible to his pure and innocent Nature and Life) I truſt the Lord will give them to diſcern by another book of this Author (treating purpoſely of that Argument) the more bitter the cup was which he drank up for us, the deeper was the guilt of our ſin, and the greater was the meaſure of his Love towards us. And unleſs the whole guilt of our ſins be imputed to him, and his perfect obedience to the Law be imputed to us, we ſhall fall ſhort, both of the matter and form of our juſtification.
Now the God of all Grace, and Peace, and Truth, bleſs theſe gracious Endevors of his Servant to the free paſſage of his Truth and Peace in the hearts and Judgments of his Churches and People through our Lord Jeſus.
JOHN COTTON. Boſton, 20 Sept. 1652.