Five Lessons for a Christian to Learn, Dedication 3
TO THE Right Honourable, The Lady Frances Cecill, the only Daughter of the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth, Counteiſe Dowager of EXETER.
Increaſe of true Honour, and Peace, and Happineſſe.
Madam,
WHen I conſidered the plenty of Goſpell-ſheaves, which the Gracious Lord of the Harveſt hath in our days cauſed his reapers to bind up, I could not but queſtion whemy gleane were worth your Ladiſhips ſtooping to take up. God hath ſeemed to empty his treaſuries upon our heads, that there is ſcarce a goſpell-duty but ſome or other more eminent labourers in the Lords harveſt have undertaken to diſcover and urge, which makes me ſometimes tremble to think at what diſadvantage they muſt periſh, that are yet dead or unfruitfull. But if there be any leſſon that hath been leſſer urged, or practiſed than other, it is this of ſelfe Deniall. I rejoyce to ſee the flowings of the ſpirit of grace in thoſe eminent Servants of the Lord, that have both hunted for veniſon, and caught it, to make ſavory meat for the Saints, diſcovering thoſe ſecrets of the Lords ſtrength, and unſearchable riches of love, beyond the pennes or tongues of thoſe that have gone before them. But methinkes, I have ſometimes feared leſt while thoſe Eminent ones have driven according to the peace of their own ſoules, and made it their work almoſt onelyonly to dreſſe out the ſtrong meat, they ſhould have driven beyond the pace of the Lambs, and onelyonly go away with part of the flock who are able to receive and have eares to heare, ſuch ſublime goſpell myſteries. I have ſometimes wiſhed a Shepard or Hooker, or two more to ſtay behind, and to drive the remnant of the flock, which in heaven will overtake the other, though there be many things to be ſpoken which (without over driving them) they are not yet able to beare. I (being one borne out of due time) am onelyonly fit for ſuch a work, the opening the Rudiments of Chriſtianity, and it ſhall be my crowne if by teaching the A B C of the wayes of grace, I may be made inſtrumentall but to fit Saints for their highſchooles. I have preſumed here to preſent your Honour with the firſt Leſſon of Grace. He that will be my diſciple (ſaith Chriſt) let him deny himſelfe, and take up the croſſe and follow me; firſt deny himſelf, then follow me. Not but that I hope your Ladiſhip can readily endorſe this ſermon, with that ſpeech of the young man, All theſe have I kept from my youth. Though I need not mind your Honour, that it is a lif's not a dayes practice. (Madam) there can be no Miſtreſſe like Experience, which eaſily convinceth me, that your Ladiſhip (who have had a conſtant ſight of ſublunary vanities, an enjoyment of creature-contentments) is farre more able to read him (who now writes) a lecture of the Vanity of every thing under the Sun, than he is to read it your Ladiſhip, who hath been bleſt in the want of thoſe advantages, and onelyonly (from a gueſſe at the body by the foot) can ſubſcribe Solomons account of them: ſurely (Madam) there is nothing under the Sun, but in cleaving to it, and neglecting Chriſt, a rationall creature muſt diſhonour himſelfe as well as his Saviour, and as well call in queſtion his own judgement, and out-law his owne reaſon, as diſobey his God. Chriſt, (Madam!) Ah! Chriſt, Chriſt alone is the excelling one; that is Altogether deſires; It is the Roſe of Sharon only that wants prickles. His name is the onelyonly box of Ointment, which one fly or other will not make to ſtinke. And now I mention his name, I remember what the ſpouſe ſaith, Thy name is an ointment powerd forth, therefore doe the Virgines love thee. Of thoſe Virgines, I truſt your Ladiſhip is, thoſe that love Chriſt for the ointment of his name powred forth; (ſo I truſt hath the Ointment of grace powred upon that head from which you drew your naturall breath, ran downe to the ſkirts of all her Relations.) (Madam) This world is not ſo well bred, but in Chriſts wayes if your Ladiſhip deſire to walk, you muſt expect to be a ſharer in the ſcoffs of thoſe that put out the finger at thoſe that run not with them to the ſame exceſſe of Riot. I need not mind your Ladiſhip of the Grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who patiently endured the croſſe and deſpiſed the ſhame for your ſake. (Madam) the wayes of Chriſt, the paths of holineſſe, are onelyonly uncomely to thoſe before whoſe eyes the Devill hath caſt a miſt, and the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, lest the glorious light of of the goſpell ſhould ſhine upon them. If the King deſires our beauty, no matter, whether our rate be high or low amongſt the children of Vanity, whoſe God is their Belly, and whoſe glory is their ſhame. May your Ladiſhip strive after perfection, and yet daunce before the Ark, though Michal mocks out at the window. The Moone keeps its courſe though the dogs bark. This Sermon (Madam) was formerly dedicated to your Ladiſhips eares, I never thought then, that the noiſe of it ſhould have gone beyond the chappell it was preacht in, nor indeed had it, had not your Ladiſhips noble Mother commanded the tranſcription of a coppy, which deſire was alſo ſeconded by other Noble friends, whoſe commands I was as unwilling to diſobey, as unable to performe, through my multitude of other occaſions, which is the only reaſon of my publication of it, that I might be thrifty of my time for my other ſtudies, and by troubling the world worke my own eaſe. Having reſolved upon this courſe, I was deſirous it ſhould appeare as covertly as might be, and have therefore added it to ſome other Sermons, preacht long before then, ſent to the preſſe to gratify the deſire of the Printer. (Madam) your Ladiſhip I truſt will eaſily excuſe me for the want of paines in it; If I ſhould ſpend time to tickle ſome few ears, it would be unthriftily done, and poſſibly I might by it loſe the advantage of ſpeaking to many anothers heart; I had rather ſo preach and write that thoſe that heare or read my ſermons, ſhould read and heare with a trembling heart, than with a tickled fancy. (Madam) Such as it is) I crave leave to preſent it to your Ladiſhip, Beſeeching the God of grace ſo to empower every line, that it may be a drop of mercy to your Honours, and every Readers ſoule, That your Ladiſhip may grow up like the tree planted by the rivers of water, and bring forth fruit in your ſeaſon, That in the renewing of every week, there may appeare in your Ladiſhips heart & converſation, an anſwer of thoſe old prayers newly returned to your Ladiſhips Noble Parent. That the Lord may have glory, your ſoule peace, and hee the dayly anſwer of his prayers, who truely is Madam,
Your Honours moſt humbly obliged ſervant in the Lord Jeſus, John Collings. Chaplyfield houſe, Aug: 21. 1649.