The Inseparable Union Between Christ and a Believer, Letter
To his highly Reſpected Friends Captain Richard and Captain William Goodlad, S. P. wiſheth all increaſe of Spiritual and Temporal riches.
Worthy Friends,
WHen I underſtood the deſire you had, that I would Publiſh, and let paſs into the eye of this Cenſorious age, this Sermon, Preached at the Funeral of your honoured Mother (whoſe departure was much lamented, and whoſe memory ſhall ever be bleſſed, ſo long as any ſurvive, who knew her worth) I did ſet my ſelf to Tranſcribe it for the Preſs. And the rather, becauſe this might give me opportunity to make a thankful acknowledgement of your reſpectful, and more than ordinary favours to me. All that I can do, beſides, in requital, is to Counſel and intreat you to be followers of her, as ſhe was a follower of Chriſt, to endeavour after a further and greater knowledge of God and of his Son, whom to know is Life Eternal. All knowledge and all Sciences invented and revealed by the wiſe men of the world without the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, by whom remiſſion of Sins, and Eternal happineſs is obtained, are vain and unprofitable. What doth it avail a man to know the height of the Heavens, the bredth of the Earth, the depth of the Sea, and the courſe and influence of the Stars, if in the mean time he is ignorant of God, and the weighty concernments of Eternity, and his Conſcience tells him he is unworthy of the Earth, and without a right to Heaven? Suppoſe a man could Compoſe and take a view, and have perfect knowledge of this Terreſtial Globe, and all things in it, and after that (as the Devil proffered our Saviour) enjoy it and all the Kingdoms and Glory of it, for the time of his Life; if yet he were ignorant of heavenly things, and had not, by Chriſt, a title to a more enduring ſubſtance, he were of all men moſt miſerable; and in truth, knew Si Chriſtum neſcis, nihil eſt ſi caetera ai ces; Si Chriſtum diſces nihil eſt ſi caetera neſcis.nothing, enjoyed nothing. The knowledge of Chriſt therefore is to be prized and preferred, which only can make the ſouls of men truly happy; for the excellency of this knowledge, St. Paul counted all things but loſs and dung. The like eſteem (I hope) Phil. 3 7, 8.you have of all things here below, in compariſon of this divine and ſaving knowledge. You go down into the Sea in Ships, and ſee the wonders of the Lord in the deep; O! Let the wonderful Viſions which you behold, and the wonderful deliverances, which you often receive, augment your awe of his dreadful Majeſty, and cauſe you to walk humbly and thankfully before him, undertake all in his name and for his glory, jo may you be aſſured of ſucceſs and inriching returns. Forget not, when you are in the depth of the Sea, with Jonah, to make your prayers to him; accompliſh and fullfil all your Vows and Promiſes made to the Almighty in times of danger and extremity; that ſo he may be your deliverer again in time of need. And when by his providence he Calls you Swit. Chriſt. mans Call. 2. p. 477.forth, to your Lawful employments, then do you (and all that Embark with you) take faith for your guide, Scripture for your Compaſs, an holy fear for your ſounding line, the Son of Righteouſneſs for your Loadſtar; Hope for your Anchor, the white linnen of the Saints imputed Righteouſneſs with a Red Croſs in it, of precious blood, for your Flagg, with this Motto,
Save us Maſter or we Periſh.
And I beſeech the God of the Sea and Dry Land, to be your continual Convoy, his Spirit to be your Pilate in all your Courſes; that ſo at laſt, after all your tumblings and toſſings, hazzards and hardſhaps in the toubleſome Sea of this world, You may arrive with top and top gallant, richly laden with Spiritual good things, at the bleſſed harbour of everlaſting reſt, Heaven, and receive for your reward Love, Honour, and Glory for ever, and ever. Amen. So prayeth
Your obliged, Loving Friend, Samuel Peck. Auguſt 18. 1671.