Five Lessons for a Christian to Learn, Dedication 2
TO The Right Honorable, his never enough Honoured Lady, FRANCES HOBART, Increaſe of Grace, &c.
Madam,
SOme time ſince, I preſumed to preſent this Sermon to your Honours hands; your Ladiſhips acceptance then hath emboldened mee now to preſent it againe, with ſome (though very ſmall) alterations. It preſents your Ladiſhip with a great piece of your Honours duty and practiſe: Faith (Madam) is almoſt the Chriſtians All; the Life of Faith is diſtinctively the Chriſtians life; and if ever there were a time for a Chriſtian to live this life, ſurely this time in which the Lord hath caſt our lot is the time. The whole Church of Chriſt is this day in the Wilderneſſe; the Iſraelites way to Canaan lay that way; And for my part, I look ſtill, that the Church ſhould keep the beaten path: and as all that have lived godly in Chriſt Ieſus hitherto have, ſo I expect that all that will live godly, ſhould ſtill ſuffer perſecution. The portion in this life, (ſurely) is not the portion of the Saints; here, and hereafter is too much. After Chriſts Suffering time we quickly read of his Aſcenſion. The mountaines of Edom are given to the children of Eſau for a poſſeſsion. Immediately after the dayes of Tribulation ſhall the Sonne of Man come. And truely, the little experience of the beſt Saints temper in this breathing time that England hath had, hath made me as little to deſire, as to expect an Earthly happineſſe. Saints have Nature in them as wel as Grace: Wantonneſſe is the Daughter of Peace; and in our time the Mother hath brought forth twinnes. The extravagancies of Opinion, and eſtrangements of affection, the cooled love of truth, and forgetting firſt love, of which wee have had, and have too large experiences, I confeſſe have made mee little leſſe than an enemy, I am ſure an Infidell, to the Churches continued Peace. Broken metalls muſt bee melted before they will runne together againe; it muſt be a fire that muſt throughly purge away our droſſe, and take away our tinne. And as I expect for the whole, ſo for every member, at leaſt I would have them expect it for themſelves. Let us ſeeke the Kingdome of God, for the foreign, all things elſe foreign, if they come, let them be thrown in; let us bleſſe God if wee receive them. It is a Benjamins double Meſſe to have earth and heaven too. Let us not build our expectations high; if we have them, we ſhall but have foreign & foreign, foreign quaſi foreign.Dogges meat (God feeds his Dogges with ſuch Crums,) and they will bee loſſe unto us: Much leſſe, let us make it our worke, to get great things for our ſelves. (Madam,) to mee it ſeems a buſineſſe of farre greater concernment to enquire and learne rather what to doe in a ſtreight, than whether wee ſhall have a time that ſhall bee without ſtreights. I had rather be prepared for the worſt, than filled with expectations of the beſt. Here is Iſa. 43. 2.our comfort, that in the flouds, and the flames, hee will be with us, that will not ſuffer the flouds to drowne us, nor the flames to kindle upon us. This ſhort Sermon will direct your Ladiſhip to a poſture that in every condition will afford your Honour eaſe. It need not trouble us, that there is a Lion in our way, if wee have ſtrength to encounter him. We need not be troubled, that our way to Canaan lies through wilderneſſes, if we have the cloud, and pillar of fire. Much fear will argue little faith. Yet a little while Madam, and hee that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry. Yet a while, and we ſhall be beyond the feare of drownings; more above feares than wee are now below enjoyments. The great God that hath directed your Honours ſteps towards him, multiply the dayes of Peace to your Ladiſhip, that you may finde a nearer way to heaven, than through much tribulation; and goe Iacobs way, betwixt Egypt and Canaan. But if for triall the Lord ſhall carrie your Honor the way of the Iſraelites, it is more triall, and may ask more time; but in heaven there cannot be a Saint miſsing. Iniquity onelyonly ſhall bee purged Fſa. 27. 9.away, and this ſhall bee all the fruit, to take away ſinne, and when the Lord ſhall make the ſtones of the Altar chalkeſtones that are beaten in ſunder, the Groves and the Images ſhall not ſtand up. The Lord in every Wilderneſſe preſerve your Ladiſhips faith, by his power to ſalvation; and if he brings your Honor in, doubt not (Madam,) but hee will alſo bring you out of everie Wilderneſſe leaning on your wel-beloved; Which may be your Ladiſhips aſſured faith, and ſhall be (Madam) the conſtant prayer, of
Your Honors moſt obliged Chaplain, & humble Servant in the Lord Jeſus, John Collings. Chaplyfield houſe, May 21, 1649.