The Gospel New-Creature, Title page 1 – To the reader
THE GOSPEL Nevv-Creature; WHEREIN The Work of the Spirit is opened, in awakening the Soul; to the getting pardon of Sin, and an intereſt in JESUS CHRIST; Without which, it is undone to all Eternity.
DISCOVERING The falſe refuges, and vain hopes for Heaven, of ignorant and formal Profeſſors in this Nation, tending to rouze them out of their carnal Security, before it be too late.
Whereunto is added, (By way of Comfort, to all Dejected Soules) The Tempeſtuous Soul calmed by JESUS CHRIST.
By A. PALMER, Preacher of the Goſpel at Bourton on the Water in Glouceſter-ſhire.
LONDON: Printed for Edward Brewſter, at the Crane in Pauls Church yard, 1658.
THE GOSPEL Nevv-Creature; WHEREIN The Work of the Spirit is opened in the Soul's (ſaving) awakening to the getting pardon of ſin, Conviction of ſin, Self-emptying, Goſpel Juſtification, and creating into JESUS CHRIST.
Diſcovering The falſe refuges and hopes for Heaven, of ignorant, carnal, formal profeſſors in this Nation; and the counterfit Legal New-Creature ſo called.
Preacht, more at large, in Publick, from ſeveral Scriptures, and now publiſhed for the good of others; In much plainneſs to the capacity of the Countrey People.
By A. Palmer, Preacher of the Goſpel at Bourton on the water in Gloceſter-ſhire.
Gal. 6.4.
Let every man prove his own work, &c.
London, Printed for Edward Brewſter at the Crane in Pauls Church yard, 1658.
To the Reader.
THat which drew theſe Papers from me, will be Argument enough for me, againſt the cenſure of what weakneſſes are mixt in this Poor piece. Which I muſt needs ſo call as it comes from my ſelf, but dare not undervalue, what of the leaſt of the Spirit of God appears in it; every drop and taſt of which, is of an infinite price, where ever it appear. Some years ſince, the Lord (for ſo, through grace, I find the iſſue) put upon my heart to ſend forth a little token of ſoul-experience to my friends, ſtiled, The tempeſtuous Soul calmed, &c. Which I found, God made a bleſſing to ſome poor ſouls, (ſo can the Lord make uſe of weak things); and I have been called upon, and ſent to, by ſtrangers for Books, but had none of them: The Stationer alſo ſending me word, that he deſired to reprint it, and that I would make ſome addition to it, if I thought meet. Theſe importunities were as the voice of the Lord to me, and being then preaching upon the ſubjects I have here added, (which were but as an enlargement to the other in the former part, but carryed further in the opening the New-Creature) It came upon my heart, that I could not give out (as I humbly apprehended) what might be more generally uſeful in theſe dayes, for the Country-people, among whom chiefly my poor labours are laid out; wherein they may, as in a glaſſe, particularly and plainly ſee, if God open their eyes, the woful miſtakes and heart-deluſions, in the great buſineſs of Heaven, the moſt, it may well be feared, lye under; fit to be mourned over, with tears of blood, had we Preachers hearts to do it.
2. Add to this, the infinite obligation that lies upon me, (I muſt ſay, above any ſoul upon the face of the earth) from my dear Lord Jeſus, to do for him with all my might, to leave no way unattempted, wherein I might witneſs to his bleſſed Name, and the wayes of his Grace, and help-on poor ſinners to him; who have had my hands ſo deep in the blood of my Lord, (over whom I would mourn) and in the blood of the ſouls of ſinners, when I helpt on (to my everlaſting abaſement be it ſpoken, and the magnifying of grace) their hardening in ſin and condemnation, in the daies of my high rebellion againſt the long-ſuffering of my God.
3. I have many dear Relations and Kindred, with others to whom I am known, ſpecially in this County of Gloceſter, (where I have found mercy in my labours, and an effectual door opened with other my Fellow-labourers in Chriſt) in whoſe hearts I have room (which I would wonder at) and ſomething this way from my ſelf would be acceptable, happily rather then that which is more worthy, from a ſtranger; which conſiderations, do much ſecure me against cenſure. Upon which account, I give it up to the Lord, in the ſimplicity of my ſoul, and beg a gracious bleſsing upon it, to every ſoul into whoſe hands it may come.
Specially, My friends after the fleſh, to whom I have not frequent opportunity to ſpeak otherwiſe, whoſe ſouls are upon my heart to mourn for; I beſeech you, and charge you in the bowels of Chriſt Jeſus, that you will never reſt in your ſpirits till, through infinite mercy and bleſſing upon your diligence, you ſhall find what is here written to be your own gracious experience upon your ſouls; Oh! do not dare to reſt in a general notion of mercy, in a blind hope-well, a ſober and righteous (through reformed) converſation, or in a mere taking up to a better obedience; no, nor in mere notions of free-grace, and of Jeſus Chriſt; but get (as convinced of ſin ſo) emptyed of your ſelves, and all your own righteouſneſs, to come as nothing elſe but ſinners, to Jeſus Christ for all, to be juſtified in his righteouſneſs, and rooted into him, and ſo become New Creatures in him, and in him have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life; Which things are the main ſcope of this Piece directed chiefly to you.
The ſame things I would ſay to you, who were the hearers of theſe diſcourſes as preach'd unto you. Such of you who yet ſtand off from the fellowſhip of the Goſpel, Oh! may this word take you in a ſerious reading, whom it hath not in the preaching of it; Baffle not, (Oh do not) with your own Convictions & Conſciences any longer; Oh! may you yet break off from your ſnares, lying-hopes, offences, ſelf-righteouſneſses, heartleſs formalities, and wait for the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus, in the miniſtration of the Goſpel; yet the hand of the Lord is ſtretched forth unto you. Oh! be not any longer a diſobedient and a gain-ſaying people: God and Angels, and your own Conſciences will witneſſe, how oft the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath called by me, and you have not anſwered.
To you, who have before the Lord and one another, profeſſed obedience to the call of Chriſt, and ſubjection to his Goſpel, I will ſay no more but this; that I hope you never expect to look the Lord Jeſus, in the face at the day of his appearing, but as you are justified only in his righteouſneſs, rooted in him, and are new Creatures in him. That I may be your rejoycing, and you mine in that day; Study exactly the evidences of the New-Creature, and through grace, walk after them; which I would alſo preſſe upon ſuch of the Profeſſors of godlineſs, who may peruſe this plain Piece; ſpecially the Churches of Chriſt I have ſpecial Communion with, in theſe parts; Let not young Converts reſt only in having lively affections, but get diſtinctly bottom'd upon the ſaving myſtery of the Goſpel through Jeſus Christ, grounded, rooted, eſtabliſh'd upon, and in a Scripture-Chriſt, as the truth is in Ieſus; and abandon any other ſpirit but a Scripture-Spirit; which (bleſſed be rich grace) hath hitherto kept you, and led you in the way of life and peace; Now the Lord of Peace himſelf, give you peace alwayes, by all means; The Lord be with you all, 1 Theſ. 5.16.
Reader, who ever thou art, if thou art, by grace, helpt-on to Jeſus Chriſt, by what is here preſented to thee; or in the walk of the New Creature in Chriſt; Give the Lord the glory, and pray that he may do ſo alſo, even in every thing, who would gladly approve himſelf,
The ſervant of Chriſt and of all his, A. P. Bourton on the Water 23 of the firſt Month, 1657.