The Fast Friend, Title page – Dedication 1
The Faſt Friend: OR A Friend at Mid-Night.
Set forth in an EXPOSITION ON THAT PARABLE
Luke 11.5.-11.
Which of you ſhall have a Friend, and ſhall go unto him at Mid-Night, &c.
By Nehemiah Rogers, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Humble thy ſelf and make ſure thy Friend,
Prov. 6.3.
Thine own Friend, and thy Fathers Friend forſake not,
Prov. 27.10.
LONDON: Printed for Geo. Sawbridge, at the Bible, on Ludgate-Hill MDCLVIII.
Reader,
There is lately Reprinted an Expoſition on that Parable, Luke 7. ver. 40-51. &c. There was a certain Creditor, which had two Debtors, &c.
By Nehemiah Rogers, Preacher of the Goſpel.
Alſo, on that Parable, Luke 10. V. 30-38. A certain man went down from Jeruſalem to Jericho, and fell amongſt Theeves, &c.
By the ſame Author.
To be ſold by Geo: Sawbridge, at the Bible on Ludgate -Hill.
TO My ever Honour'd, and moſt deſerving Friend, and Patron, Edward Herrys, of Much Badow, in Eſſex, Eſquire.
Increaſe of all Outward and Inward Bleſsings.
Worthy Sir,
FEw Writers but are ambitious of ſome high and honourable Patronage for their Labours; their Inſcriptions run thus To the Right Honourable, —and, My ever Honoured Lord—.And who ſo reades their Epiſtles Dedicatory, wou…d think, that St. Paul was out, when he ſaid, Not many mighty, not many noble are called. 1 Cor. 1.26.And that the moſt part of the great Ones of the Wor… were ſuch Religious and worthy Patriots, as that nothing more could be deſired, when as an unbias'd man that well knows their perſons cannot read (as one truly ſaith) their groſs flatteries without bluſhing:Robinſ. Eſſay, Obſ. 42. This one ſtyle of Honoured and deſerving Friend, countervails all the other (in my Judgment). I am ſure that a Friend which ſticketh cloſer then a Brother, Prov. 1….24.ſounds better in my Ears, and hath yielded a ſweeter refreſhing to my bowels,Prov. 27.9 then Honoured Lord. And with that ſtyle at this time (and that without flattery) I make bold to ſalute you.
Your friendly favours I may not bury, in a kind of tacite acknowledgment; but I muſt needs acquaint the World with a part of them. Under God, you were the principal meanes of obtaining my liberty for the exerciſing of my Miniſterial Function (and that in ſuch a time when it was thought ſcarce feiſeable) you labour'd it, you engaged your friends in it and were at coſt about it and (at length) effected it to my great comfort and content; who having ſerved my Lord and Maſter ſix full Prentiſhips in the works of the Goſpel, could not but be much troubled now in my old Age, to be turned out of my ſervice, and have my Indentures torn before Death brought me my Freedom; which I daily expect, wanting but few of thoſe years,Pſal. 90.10. which David allows in common account to the age of Man.
This being done, yet you had not done; but were pleaſed (having the power in your hand) to remove me from that place where I was, from which (I muſt confeſs) I was drawn with much unwillingneſs) and preſent me to a Living then vacant, and in your power to diſpoſe of, where (with the general deſire, and good liking of the people) as yet I am: And ſhall deſire (ſeeing God by his good Providence hath ſo diſpoſed, and if He ſo ſee good) to keep my Stall, and thereon to labour with the Bee, which,Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 6. as the Natural Hiſtorian tells us, after Beans do bloſſome, works hard and loſeth not a day, nor plays one whit, if the Weather hinder not. I have not been altogether idle in my younger time, no nor in a tempeſtuous ſeaſon (to the glory of God, who hath enabled me, I ſpeak it) albeit I ſee great cauſe, now that my Almond-tree doth bloom, and the Weather ſerves,Eccleſ. 12.5. to double my diligence, that my laſt works may be more then the firſt.Rev. 2.19.
As a Monument of my thankfulneſs to you, whoſe obligations are thus ſtrong upon me for theſe great favours, I preſume to Dedicate this poor part of my Labours; and do further promiſe to be your Solicitour unto