The Fast Friend, To the reader – Parable Luke 11
To the Reader; And more eſpecially to the Inhabitants of Chich, St. O…yth in Eſſex, with the Neighbourhood thereof, Mr. Benjamin Rouſe, Mr. Gregory Rouſe, Mr. William Jeffery, Mr. Longly, Mr. Owles, Mr. Will: Scot, (and divers others unnam'd) with their good Wives, my Chriſtian Friends, and conſtant Auditors; Peace be to you all.
Friendly Reader,
THere are two principal Organs of Senſe, the Ear and the Eye, and by the wiſe Exerciſe of both, our gracious God brings us to the knowledge of Himſelf, and other Myſteries of ſalvation: The preheminence is given to the Ear,Rom. 10.1…. as being the principal Organ to derive Salvation to the Soul (in which regard, it is conceived, that when our Saviour commanded the Abſciſſion, Mark 9.43.of the offending member, he mentions the Hand, the Foot, and Eye, but not the Ear): Yet, in ſome other reſpects, the Eye hath the preheminence of the Ear; and in this more particularly, in that it is a ſurer Friend to Memory. For, albeit words ſpoken, move very much for the preſent, in the lively delivery of them;Vox audita perit, litera ſcripta manet. yet ordinarily they fly, and dye: No ſooner are they ſpoken, but they vaniſh like a ſound in the Air, and are forgotten; when as this loſs of the Ear is reſtored by the Eye, in the reading of things written, inſomuch, that when we read a Sermon printed, that formerly we heard preached, we have a conceit that we hear the Preacher preaching the ſame again unto us, that formerly we heard, in as lively a manner as he did at the firſt delivery; and, by this means, things formerly taught, become better ſecuted in our minds. See here, good Reader, (if thou beeſt one of thoſe that were my Auditors) I now preſent unto thy Eye, what formerly was preſented to thine Ear (and therein have ſatisfied the deſires of ſome) rejoycing much if I may any way be ſerviceable to you in the furthering of your Souls ſalvation.
Whilſt God was pleaſed to caſt out my lot amongſt you, at St. Oſyth (for the ſpace of ſix years and upward) I can comfortably uſe the Apoſtles words,Gal. 4.19. 2 Cor. 12.14. I travelled in pain that Chriſt might be formed in you: Nor did I ſeek yours, but you (you your ſelves are my witneſſes) deſiring to ſpend thoſe Talents which God had intruſted me withall, and be ſpent in the laying of them forth for your Souls benefit: St. Paul goes further, and tells the Corinthians that,Verſ. 15. notwithſtanding this, yet, the more abundantly he loved, the leſſe he was beloved of them; but that was not my caſe, and it was a great part of my happineſſe that it was not; (for it is many a good Miniſter's Caſe). I found you (for the generality) at my firſt coming amongſt you, to be a moſt loving and willing People, and ſo you continued (ſo many as God continued life unto) even unto the time of my departure from you: You prevented me with your abundant courteſies, nor could I modeſtly deſire any thing of you that was not readily granted. To wch if I ſhould ad the great encouragements that I had from thoſe Honourable Perſons now reſiding amongſt you, both in countenancing of my Miniſtry, & other great Favours received, it may raiſe a wonder how it came about that I deſerted you. But I was not at my own diſpoſe, for had I been (albeit I ſaw not that fruit of my Labours which I could have wiſht, both for my comfort, and yours) yet I ſhould have followed the Apoſtle's rule,… Tim. 2.25, 26. and with patience have inſtructed them who did oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure would give them Repentance, that they might recover themſelves out of the ſnares of the Devill, who were taken by him at his will.
But (God having otherwiſe diſpoſed) And now that I am removed from you, I cannot forget you; and my deſire is that I may not be forgotten of you. That I remember you, theſe few lines may let you underſtand: And that I may not be forgotten of you, my hearty deſire is, that my labours amongſt you (whereof I have ſent you here a part to ſtirr you up by way of remembrance) may live in your hearts and lives; and that thoſe beginnings of Grace,2 Pet. 3.1. and inward ſtirrings, and workings, which were wrought in any of you, by my Miniſtry, may not be quenched, nor ſtifled, but nouriſhed, and enkindled, through your own induſtry, (being accompanied with the labours of thoſe whom God ſhall pleaſe to place amongſt you, and ſet over you,) and the workings of his holy Spirit, and that you may be filled with the Knowledge of Gods will in all Wiſdom and ſpirituall underſtanding, fruitfull in every good work, Coloſ. 2.9, 10, 11.ſtrengthned with all Might according to his glorious Power, that you may not be led away with the Error of the wicked, 2 Pet. 3 17. Heb. 10.38.and ſo fall from your own Stedfaſtneſſe: For if any one draw back, my Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in him (ſaith God.)
And ſo Brethren I commend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance amongſt all them which are ſanctified, Act. 20.32. (being the laſt Text that was preached amongſt you, by him who is)
Dodinghurſt July 22. 1658. A Servant to you all for the furtherance of your Souls Salvation. Nehemiah Rogers.
The Text. Luke Chap. 11. Verſ. 5.-11.
Verſ. 5. ANd he ſaid unto them, Which of you ſhall have a Friend, and ſhall go unto him at Mid-night, and ſay unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves.
6. For a Friend of mine, in his journey, is come to me, and I have nothing to ſet before him.
7. And he from within ſhall anſwer, and ſay, Trouble me not, the door is now ſhut, and my Children are with me in bed; I cannot riſe and give thee.
8. I ſay unto you, Though he will not riſe and give him, becauſe he is his Friend; yet becauſe of his Importunity, he wil riſe, and give him as many as he needeth.
9. And I ſay unto you, Ask, & it ſhal be given you: Seek, and you ſhall find: Knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you.
10. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened.