The Confirming Work of Religion, Title page – Preface
THE CONFIRMING WORKE OF RELIGION, In its neceſſity and uſe briefly held forth; that each Chriſtian may have a proper ballast of his own, of the grounds and reaſons of his faith, and thus ſee the greatneſſe of that ſecurity, on which he adventures his eternal ſtate.
OR The true and infallible way, for attaining a confirmed ſtate in Religion, from theſe primary evidences and demonſtrations of our faith; which the Lord hath himſelf given, ſo as it may be eaſy for the meaneſt in the Church to know the ſame, and be ready to render an account thereof to all that ask.
With a short and confirming proſpect of the work of the Lord about his Church, in theſe laſt times.
BY R. FLEMING, Miniſter of the Goſpel of Chriſt.
At ROTTERDAM, Printed by REINIER LEERS. M.DC.LXXXV.
The PREFACE.
THis ſmall Eſſay, here offered, is on the greateſt ſubject, can fall under the conſideration of mankind; and is a ſtudy, was never more preſſingly called for, then in theſe dayes, for men to be making peace with God, and to have ſuch an aſſurance of his truth, as can fully quiet and ſupport the ſoul, though all ſenſible props should be brocken, and fail. Great changes doe ſurely haſten on this generation, and the life of faith, is in an other manner like to be put to tryal, then ſince the Churches riſe and recovery from Antichriſtian bondage. The ſtorme now viſibly grows upon the Churches of Chriſt, though nothing is thus to faint or shake, the ſpirits of any, who know their anchor is ſure and caſt within the vail; but the ſtrongest difficulties, in following the Lord, when overcome, yeelds the greateſt victory, and will be not only matter of joy here, but to all eternity, in having with patience and hope indured, and got well through a throng of temptations and aſſaults in a reſolute adherence to the truth. If men think it their wisdome to ſecure their private intereſt, by dividing it in ſuch a time from the publick cauſe of the Reformed Church, and make light of the greateſt truths of God now aſſaulted, of the blood of the Martyrs, yea of their own eternal ſtate, by any coolneſſe or shrinking from the ſame; they will find no temporal motives, can ever compenſe that loſſe and ruine which inevitably will meet ſuch in the iſsue, yea that theſe words of Mordecai to Eſther, Eſth. 4: 13, 14. have the ſame voice, and weight in this day. What is held forth in the following worke, I may with humble confidence ſay, was under ſome preſſure to have ſuch clear evidence and quieting perſuaſion of divine truth, as made it leſſe eaſy to have my own ſpirit ſatisfyed herein, then poſſibly it may be to others; for if it were not from that bleſſed aſſurance of the Lords being God, of the revelation of Chriſt, and of the glory to come, I should not know what could be conforting or make a rational being deſireable. Some ſingulare ingadgments I judge my ſelf alſo to ſtand under, for putting to my ſeal to the truth and faithfulneſſe of God in his word, from many ſignal confirmations hereof in the courſe of my pilgrimage, if ſuch a poor teſtimony might be of any weight. Let the bleſſed Lord, gratiouſly accept this ſmall offering to him, and for the intereſt of his truth, by ſo mean an inſtrument, and give ſome fruit hereof, that may abide, and be found in the day of Chriſt.
I hope the Reader may find by a peruſal of the I. Chap. of what ſerious uſe and intent the II. is; yea that in this day it was not unſeaſonable or incongruous to the forgoing ſubject what is held forth in the III. Chapter. But oh it is ſad and amazing to think how few are under that weight of Religion, as once to have a ſerious inquiry on the grounds and reaſons thereof, and to accompt the moſt ſpecial aſſiſtances to their faith to be the greateſt helpers of their joy within time.